Billy Elmhirst tells all

WINCHESTER — "They call me a glory seeker, but really all I'm trying to do is complement the wage from the beef herd," Billy Elmhirst told beef farmers at their annual meeting. Elmhirst, 31, has had the top Herefords at the Royal in the past two years and has the reputation of being the best beef fitter in the country.

Success in the show ring comes down to choosing the right genetics, he says. He looks to develop a cow-size of between 1,200 and 1,400 pounds. When he chooses seed stock, he looks for right eye set, right teat and scrotum size, along with pigmentation in the udder, among other things.

"We look all over North America for the right genetics, and we use A.I.(artificial insemination)," he says. "We cull hard."

He uses embryo transfer, which is costly. But embryos improve the herd very quickly.

He wants the calf weaned at half the weight of the cow, and he wants it ready for the market between 12 to 14 months.

Many of his cattle are marketed in the U.S. especially at the Denver show, where he targets progressive farmers. But though the rewards are there, costs are huge. A bag of hay, smaller than a small square bale, cost $9, and he has to feed and shelter a crew for two weeks.

He blamed some commercial men for choosing poorer genetics and hurting the industry. "There's no excuse for anyone today with horns on cows," he said.

But the industry itself needs some agreements. "There has to be an agreed system for evaluating carcasses. Producers need to be paid a premium for carcasses of quality," he said.

What's more, there's a lack of respect for genetics among beef producers. Colour isn't what's important, he says, the quality is.